A1 Music History Transcript

Name: Charles Moe

Competency: A1

Artifact Title: Music History Transcript

Artifact Type: Official College Transcript proving experience in the subject of Music History.

Rationale for Inclusion: This transcript documents my ability to identify and analyze representative musical forms, styles, performance contexts, performance media, and composers and compositions of western music, and describe the musical traditions, contexts and characteristics of diverse and representative world cultures.
During my time as an Undergrad at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, I was required to attend classes in Music History. These classes covered the periods of Antiquity to 1750 (this included the Baroque Period), the Classical Period, the Romantic Period, and the Contemporary Period. Antiquity, Classical, and Romantic primarily covered the history of Western classical music. However, Contemporary expanded that spectrum to include modern avant garde music, rock music, as well as music from other world cultures. It is my hope that I can use the knowledge gained in these classes to enrich my own methods of teaching in order to provide my students with a more meaningful and in depth musical experience.

A2 Vocal Production Quiz

Name: Charles Moe

Competency: A2

Artifact Title: Vocal Production Quiz

Artifact Type: A multiple-choice quiz on the Vocal Production Unit

Rationale for Inclusion: This quiz demonstrates a basic knowledge of vocal development and production. this quiz on the Vocal Production Unit sets up students for success by offering the multiple-choice format. Many of the questions avoid "tricking" the student. I like this because my goal as a teacher is to make sure that the students gain the knowledge that will help them in their further study, not to fool them. However that does not mean that the questions are all "easy." some of the answers while incorrect for this unit, may pertain to instruction they have received from other places. "Sit up straight" for example is a direction that is taught in a different way in this particular unit. Therefore it is still important that the students pay attention during the lectures.

A2 Vocal Production Unit

Name: Charles Moe

Competency: A2

Artifact Title: Vocal Production Unit

Artifact Type: A classroom unit on Vocal Production that I taught during my secondary level student teaching placement at Cambridge-Isanti High School in Cambridge, MN.

Rationale for Inclusion: This unit demonstrates a basic knowledge of vocal development and production. During the period of my student teaching at Cambridge-Isanti High School, I used a week to teach this unit to the Varsity Choir (this was the ensemble I worked with primarily). This unit gives an overview of the physical parts of the body that make up the human voice, how the whole body is connected as one coordinated system, and proper breathing. These techniques are extremely important to the practice of successful singing but are rarely touched upon so directly. This unit is definitely something I will use in my own classroom.

A4 Recorder Transcript

Name: Charles Moe

Competency: A4

Artifact Title: Recorder Transcript

Artifact Type: An official college transcript highlighting Private Instruction in Recorder

Rationale for Inclusion: This transcript demonstrates that I hold the basic skills for playing typical classroom instruments including recorder or fretted instruments. As this transcript shows I studied recorder privately during the Spring Semester of 2005. During these lessons I studied the proper technique for fingering, tonguing, and playing the recorder. I also participated as a recorder player in a renaissance musical ensemble called "Collegium Musicum." I also twice appeared as a recorder soloist with the men's choir "Norsemen" at Luther College.

A7 Ear Training Transcript

Name: Charles Moe

Competency: A7

Artifact Title Ear Training Transcript

Artifact Type: Official College Transcript Highlighting Ear Training

Rationale for Inclusion: Competency A7 requires that a teacher of vocal and classroom music be able to identify and reproduce intervals, scales, and chord structures. This college transcript displays that I enrolled in Ear Training I, II, III, and IV during my first 4 semesters respectfully at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa. As a student in this class I was required to be able to read music based on solfege and be able to recognize the modes of scales, and the degree of intervals based solely upon hearing them. As my grades show, I completed these tasks successfully.

A8 Difficult Literature

Name: Charles Moe

Competency: A8

Artifact Title: Difficult Literature

Artifact Type: "O Gladsome Light" by Gretchaninoff, and example of choral literature at the difficult level.

Rationale for Inclusion: Standard A8 requires that a teacher of vocal music be able to demonstrate a basic knowledge of approaches to general music instruction materials, and literature for students of varying abilities. This selection, "O Gladsome Light" by Alexander Gretchaninoff, is an example of literature at the "Difficult Level" and it would therefore be best suited for a choir with singers of a more advanced musical ability. There are several factors that make this piece "difficult;" first of all it is 8 part SSAATTBB music meaning that to even attempt such a piece a choir must be large enough to accommodate all 8 parts and must have singers with enough ability to hold those parts with confidence and clarity. Another factor that contributes to the difficulty of the piece is the range. The lows for the basses and the highs for the sopranos can be quite extreme at times. By being able to recognize these factors and realize that this music is for students of a more advanced level of ability, I have shown that I fulfill the requirement of competency A8.

A8 Easy Literature

Name: Charles Moe

Competency: A8

Artifact Title: Easy Literature

Artifact Type: "In the Bleak Midwinter" arr. by Brad Printz. This is an example of choral literature at the Easy Level.

Rationale for Inclusion: Competency A8 requires that a teacher of vocal music be able to demonstrate a basic knowledge of approaches to general music instruction, materials, and literature for students of varying abilities. This selection, "In the Bleak Midwinter" arr. by Brad Printz, is an example of literature at the "Easy Level." Music at this level would generally be suited for a choir that is young, very small, or of limited musical ability. There are several reasons why this music is considered to be "easy." First of all, it is only 2-Parts, because of the cleffs we assume that these parts are Women on Part I and Men on Part II. Songs like this generally rely on accompaniments with a lot going on to make the song more interesting. We see that in this case with the piano and handbell parts. On the other hand such songs can be charming in their simplicity. We can also see that the vocal ranges do not venture far into the extremes as they do in the Difficult Literature selection for example. This is also a fairly familiar tune in the world of western music; this is yet another factor that contributes to the song's ease. The easiness of this song helps to ensure the success of the students even if they are not members of the most advanced choral ensemble. By being able to recognize these factors and realize that this music is well suited for students of more limited musical ability, I have fulfilled competency A8.